The HRIC Daily Brief is a daily selection of news stories and commentary related to human rights in China, drawn from Chinese- and English-language news and online media sources that we monitor daily. In addition to headlines and source links, HRIC also provides English translation of Chinese headlines.

Thursday, December 17, 2015

Access to Justice (司法公正)

Politics, law, and the case against Pu Zhiqiang
China Digital Times, December 16, 2015
http://chinadigitaltimes.net/2015/12/189282/

Related:
百人围观浦案遭大抓捕 20人仍在押或失联 (Many of the over 100 citizens trying to observe Pu Zhiqiang's trial taken away by police, 20 still detained or not heard from)
Radio Free Asia, December 16, 2015
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/xl1-12162015103320.html

Pu Zhiqiang Trial: Photos of supporters outside Beijing Municipal No. 2 Intermediate People’s Court
Human Rights in China, December 14, 2015
http://www.hrichina.org/en/citizens-square/pu-zhiqiang-trial-photos-supporters-outside-beijing-municipal-no-2-intermediate

Access to Information (信息公开)

China tightens rules on maps amid territorial disputes
Reuters, December 16, 2015
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-maps-idUSKBN0TZ1AR20151216

Citizen Participation (公民参与)

Mass layoffs in China’s coal country threaten unrest
The New York Times, December 17, 2015
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/17/world/asia/china-coal-mining-economy.html

Thousands protest, blockade waste plant construction in China's Guangdong
广东数千人游行打砸工地 抗议当局强建垃圾焚烧厂
Radio Free Asia, December 16, 2015
EN: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/plant-12162015105743.html
CH: http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/huanjing/xl2-12162015103402.html

Government Accountability (政府问责)

Amid China's crackdown, securities reform quietly gathers pace
Bloomberg, December 16, 2015
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-12-16/amid-china-s-crackdown-securities-reform-quietly-gathers-pace

UK criticizes “unacceptable” treatment of diplomats at China trial of human rights lawyer
The Guardian, December 17, 2015
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/dec/17/uk-criticises-unacceptable-treatment-of-diplomats-at-china-trial-of-human-rights-lawyer

ICTs and Human Rights (信息技术与人权)

U.S. and WTO partners announce final agreement on landmark expansion of information technology agreement
Office of the United State Trade Representative, December 2015
https://ustr.gov/about-us/policy-offices/press-office/press-releases/2015/december/US-WTO-Partners-Announce-Final-Agreement-on-Expansion-ITA

Related:
Joint statement by trade ministers of China and U.S. on the expansion of WTO information technology agreement
Office of the United State Trade Representative, December 2015
https://ustr.gov/about-us/policy-offices/press-office/press-releases/2015/december/joint-statement-trade-ministers

Global Internet Governance 2.0?
China Media Project, December 16, 2015
http://cmp.hku.hk/2015/12/16/39508/

China touts its Great Firewall in push for Internet control
Wall Street Journal, December 16, 2015
http://www.wsj.com/articles/china-touts-its-great-firewall-in-push-for-internet-control-1450251090

Double standards: China’s push to develop internet for economic gain tempered by strict censorship
South China Morning Post, December 16, 2015
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/1891841/double-standards-chinas-push-develop-internet-economic

At U.N., China tries to influence fight over Internet control
The New York Times, December 17, 2015
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/17/technology/china-wins-battle-with-un-over-word-in-internet-control-document.html

Related:
强调网络主权 有悖于互联网理念? (Does the emphasis on “cyber sovereignty” contradict the concept of the Internet?)
Deutsche Welle, December 16, 2015
http://www.dw.com/zh/强调网络主权-有悖于互联网理念/a-18921056

Xi, Xiaomi and the censorship game: Foreign visitors at World Internet Conference in China given free smartphones and cheat codes to access blocked websites
South China Morning Post, December 16, 2015
http://www.scmp.com/tech/innovation/article/1891842/xi-xiaomi-and-censorship-game-foreign-visitors-world-internet

Hong Kong (香港)

Fears for Hong Kong's press freedom follow Alibaba's purchase of the South China Morning Post
Global Voices, December 16, 2015
https://globalvoices.org/2015/12/16/fears-for-hong-kongs-press-freedom-follow-alibabas-purchase-of-the-south-china-morning-post/

Related:
Alibaba’s Jack Ma vows to defend South China Morning Post’s independence
The Wall Street Journal, December 15, 2015
http://www.wsj.com/articles/jack-ma-defends-alibaba-purchase-of-south-china-morning-post-1450238220

Groups rally against “Internet Article 23” as lawmakers continue copyright bill debate
Hong Kong Free Press, December 16, 2015
https://www.hongkongfp.com/2015/12/16/groups-rally-against-internet-article-23-as-lawmakers-continue-copyright-bill-debate/

National Security & Counterterrorism (国家安全和反恐)

Suspect in Xinjiang mine attack spoke of jihad, Chinese news reports say
The New York Times, December 17, 2015
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/17/world/asia/xinjiang-attack-china-terrorism.html

Opinion and Editorial (观点和社论)

Can an Alibaba “Morning Post” aid China’s image overseas?
China File, December 15, 2015
https://www.chinafile.com/conversation/can-alibaba-morning-post-aid-chinas-image-overseas